The Quest
by Time's mortal enemy
Summary: Sequel to Pools of Torment and last book of the Torture Trilogy. Chihiro enters a realm of darkness, and finds herself fighting for her soul as Haku searches for her. Yet how can he find her if he can't even remember his own past? Chapter 9 up!(pairing: C
1. Prologue

Well, I don't have much to say just yet, except please read and review and have fun with it.  
  
*~*  
  
THE QUEST  
  
*~*  
  
INTRODUCTION  
  
*~*  
  
The very same entrance hall that had just moments before been rocked with explosions was now as still as a tomb. An accurate comparison, indeed, for scattered among the rows of smashed and broken pews lay the bodies of the many spirits that had lost their lives in Keetra's devastating attack. Close to the platform at the end of the hall lay the massive and unmoving figure of a magnificent yet bloodied silver-white dragon. To all appearances, it was dead.  
  
Appearences, however, can be deceiving.  
  
Moments passed, and the beast still had not stirred. Had anyone else been in the hall, they would have sworn that it was dead.  
  
Then, it twitched.  
  
At first it was just a small movement, barely noticeable, but it was there none the less. As time passed, the twitch became more and more pronounced until the entire body was convulsing. Suddenly, without warning, the figure began to shrink and change, transforming from a dragon into the form of a seventeen year old boy with straight, shoulder length black hair. He lay for a moment, motionless, before groaning and lifting an arm to throw across his face. His jade colored eyes blinked open.  
  
{What the heck happened?}  
  
Suddenly, in a torrent of memory, the events of earlier that same day came back to him.  
  
The wedding, the attack, the woman being attacked by the others. And last but not least, the kidnapping.  
  
It had happened so fast that he had not had the chance to stop it.  
  
And now she was gone.  
  
The young man let out a roar of desperation that echoed to the heavens, a challenge to the gods that be to come down and face him. He would assault the very gates of heaven itself if it would bring back his love to him.  
  
He let out another roar, then sank back down to the ground, succumbing at long last to the wounds that had been causing him intense pain from the moment that he had awoken.  
  
*~*  
  
An old lady lay at the entrance to the hall, unable to move or speak. As she lay, agony gripping her old and broken body, a single tear worked its way down her cheek.  
  
*~*  
  
The servant lay where he had fallen, spread eagled on the ground next to the prisoner. He was stiff and unmoving.  
  
*~*  
  
The prisoner lay still, his open eyes gazing unseeingly up at the vaulted arches high above him. The final blast that Keetra had sent into the hall to cover her escape had torn his body to bloody shreds, and he lay there, unceremoniously in a pool of his and the servant's mingled blood.  
  
*~*  
  
The fox-boy lay at the entrance next to the old woman, having attempted to hinder Keetra as she had made her escape. He was bleeding freely from several deep wounds in his head, and was slowly slipping into a red mist that covered his eyes.  
  
*~*  
  
And the dark witch was nowhere to be seen. At least, not in the great hall. The only indicator that she had ever been there in the first place was the glittering tiara that lay in the pool of blood where she had been sitting during the ceremony. The woman, however, was gone.  
  
*~*  
  
And in the end, it all seemed like one very, very bad dream. A nightmare was over, and the quest was about to begin. 


	2. Riddles Part 1

Well, at this particular point in the story, there's really not much that I can say without giving away too much of the basic plot line, but here goes. Keetra, who happens to be one of my reviewers, has kidnapped Chihiro. Meanwhile, as she heads back to whatever strange land she came from, the others have for the most part recovered from whatever wounds they had. No one died except for some of the unnamed spirits who were attending the wedding. Anyways, that's where I'm at right now, so keep on reading, and the only other thing that I can think of to say is please review!  
  
This chapter goes out to an entirely new reviewer that I got, and the first reviewer for this particular story, fanficmaniac.  
  
Thanks so much, and here's your next update.  
  
Unfortunately, this particular chapter will not be very long at all, but the rest of the chapters should get much longer with time. Just bear with me until them.  
  
I wrote this particular chapter in the lodge at Cannonsburg Ski area. The riddle at the end is mine, so if you're going to use it, all that I ask is that YOU ask.  
  
You can use pretty much any of the characters in my fic, but once again I'd like for you to leave a review asking so that I can check out your fic and do some reviewing of my own.  
  
Disclaimer- I do not own any of the original characters from Spirited Away. By now, you should know which characters belong to me.  
  
*~*  
  
Chapter One- Riddles, Part one.  
  
*~*  
  
"If you're going to find Chihiro, then you'll need to get some help," Jumari stated as she pulled down maps and documents at random from off the shelves of the massive library that they were all in.  
  
"How on earth am I supposed to find help when I don't even know who took her?" Haku asked, fury still dominant in his eyes. "When I find out, I swear that I'll slaughter the monster!"  
  
"No need to worry about that," Yubaba said, looking up from the desk where she sat, searching for something known only to her. Walking from her room all the way to the library had drained a lot of her energy, for she had not yet recovered from the wounds that she had received courtesy of the last energy blast that Keetra had sent into the tower. Her face was drawn and pale. "You may not remember all of the missions that I sent you on, but I do. Her name is Keetra, and she used to come from a very powerful and dominant family in the Spirit World. They were becoming a significant threat to my business, so I sent you after them to eliminate that threat."  
  
Haku stared at her, disbelief etched across his face. "And. . . And I did?" he stammered, horror running like molten metal through his veins. It couldn't be true. It simply couldn't!"  
  
"I didn't give you much of a choice. You pretty much had to kill them or be killed yourself. You chose the former. Unfortunately, Keetra apparently had been on a business trip when you completed the job, so she was saved from a certain death. Since I'm not completely evil, I erased all memory of the incident from your mind and allowed you to continue on with your life oblivious to the pain that you must have caused her."  
  
"So what you're saying is that there is some insane psycho girl out there who wants me dead so that she can avenge the family that I killed, even though I don't remember anything of the incident." Haku held his head as though it was about to explode. He simply couldn't, no, wouldn't believe that he had slaughtered a family whose only crime had been to tick Yubaba off.  
  
"Ah, here it is," Jumari exclaimed as she pulled down an old and tattered parchment. "It's been said that the only way to find the land of Kanrika is to complete a quest. Supposedly, the quest leads you all over the Spirit World, forcing you to solve riddles that will lead you to the next clue. The quest itself is said to be one of the most difficult ones in existence, one that cannot be completed without much suffering and tragic loss." She sat down at the desk next to Yubaba and handed her the parchment. "There are multiple clues that must be found, and each one leads you to the location of the next, and the last one to the gateway to the land of Kanrika. I've had this, the first clue, in my possession for quite some time now." Yubaba looked the scroll over, and then handed it to a very eager Haku, who snatched it from her hand and perused the contents.  
  
"What does it mean?"  
  
"I don't know. In all of history, you're the only person that has found all of the clues and succeeded in completing the quest. You never told anyone where they could find the clues, or even what each clue meant, and once Yubaba erased your memory, there was no way of getting that information from you."  
  
Haku looked back down at the clue, then shook his head.  
  
"It doesn't make any sense."  
  
*~*  
  
RIDDLE 1  
  
*~*  
  
Go to the place where no light shines  
  
Look up to the heavens  
  
And among the mighty pillars  
  
You'll find me there  
  
*~*  
  
All right, there's the first chapter. Now, read and review! 


	3. Visions

All right. I am seriously going to hope that all of you know about how this story is the continuation of TTT. See, some of the people who reviewed the first two stories so faithfully haven't shown their faces here at this one, so maybe they just don't know about how Pools of Torment was a TBC, which continues in this story. Ahh, well, never mind.  
  
Please, review, and tell me if there's anything that you'd like to see before this trilogy comes to an end. Also, please tell me if there are things that might be changed to the story to make it better. That's what reviews are for, and I simply don't get as many as I'd like. Not that it matters. I'm going to continue writing this story whether I get a lot of reviews or not. In fact, chapters three, four, and five are already written, and need only to be typed out before I can post them.  
  
With that said, I can move on to some other pressing details. For those of you who have also been following my InuYasha fic, I probably won't be updating for a little while. Right now, it's hard enough to keep up to date with TTT than to also have to worry about another. Don't worry, I am in no way abandoning that fic, I just have it on hold for now.  
  
Anyways, read and review, and once more, enjoy!  
  
*~*  
  
Chihiro was asleep. If there was ever a word that fit her current condition, it was that one. She lay limply in a comatose state in the arms of the green-eyed girl that carried her. Outside, she was perfectly peaceful, but on the inside. . . well, that was a different story.  
  
She was wandering through a strange, bluish colored mist. Ahead of her, she could see dark shapes looming ever out of reach, none of them tangible, but all of them most certainly there. She wandered aimlessly until she grew tired, and then she sat down and began to think.  
  
{This can't be right! It just can't. The last thing that I remember was that archmage guy about to say that we were husband and wife. The next thing I knew, Haku was attacking some weird looking girl. But what happened after that? How did I get here? And just where is here, anyhow?} As she sat there pondering, she failed to notice the silver winged figure coming up behind her.  
  
"Is something wrong?" the voice asked, as clear as a bell and as soothing as a brook trickling over a bed of pebbles. Chihiro started and turned around to see what could only be described as an angel. Dressed in a clear white tunic, the figure of the youthful girl in front of her was absolutely magnificent.  
  
Her long and straight hair was pure white, as white as the freshest snowfall, and her eyes were the color of ice. Her complexion was incredibly fair, and her wine red lips were turned up in a happy smile. Sprouting out of her back was a pair of magnificent silver wings, folded against her tunic.  
  
"Who are you?" Chihiro asked, awed by the beauty of the strange yet perfect entity.  
  
"Why, I'm your guardian angel, of sorts." The girl laughed, and suddenly memories began to flood into Chihiro's mind. All of them were very small things, but all of them had to do with Haku. Times like when she had first asked Lin about him, and had found out to her dismay that he supposedly couldn't be trusted. Times like when she and Haku had been falling out of the sky, and she had suddenly had the flashback that had revealed to them his name.  
  
"Your name. . ." she hesitated, unsure as to whether she should continue. The girl just smiled and beckoned for her to do so. "Your name. . . is grace. That's it, isn't it?" The girl laughed again, and Chihiro found herself beginning to smile, then chuckle, and then laugh out loud. The sound of Grace's voice was incredibly contagious.  
  
"Actually, I'm not really your guardian angel. I'm just a special spirit who's taken an interest in seeing you and Haku get together. I've gone to great lengths to keep the both of you safe. You don't really think that it was coincidence that Haku just HAPPENED to go to Yubaba looking for a job first, rather than anyone else. You don't really think that Link just HAPPENED to follow you here into the spirit world, do you?"  
  
Chihiro's brain was spinning. She was no longer sure just what she should believe. Things seemed so incredibly mixed up. Nothing made any sense at all.  
  
"Anyways, the reason that I'm here is to tell you that you don't need to worry. Your friends are doing everything in their power to get you back, and I promise you that I won't allow you to come to harm while Keetra has you in her grasp." Suddenly, Chihiro found herself surrounded by a bright light, and when it vanished, she found herself staring up at the grim and stoic face of Keetra as the two of them sped through a whirlwind of color and sound.  
  
*~*  
  
Haku and Nami stayed up late that night, searching through hundreds of maps and documents, hoping and hoping that they would find something that would give them even the slightest hint how to get to the place that the riddle had mentioned.  
  
"Well, it says that the place where the light never shines. Maybe that means a cave of sorts."  
  
"Or maybe it means the bottom of some lake or the ocean," Link said from where he had been lying on the bed. Of the entire group, Link had been injured by far the worst. Without Chihiro there, and Knoma off summoning the High Council to the tower, there was no one around who was nearly qualified enough to heal several of Link's more obvious wounds, and Haku expected that there was some internal bleeding. Though he would never admit it, Link was in terrible pain.  
  
"Yeah, but the other line says that when you look up at the sky, you'll see pillars, and among them the next riddle. Sounds a lot like those pointy rod- like things that hang down from the ceiling in a cave." Nami searched for the correct word.  
  
"Actually, I think that they're called stalactites." Link's voice held a perfect mixture of pain and laughter.  
  
"Stallahooywhat?"  
  
"Stalactites. Anyway, that's what I think."  
  
Now that they knew just what they were looking for, they searched each map thoroughly. In the end, they discovered that of all the caverns in any of the maps, only three were specifically mentioned as being darker than the darkest night. Those would be the ones that they would concentrate on.  
  
"So there's the first, just a short way to the south of Aburaya. Since that's the closest one, that will be the one that we'll check first." The others nodded, and Link sighed.  
  
"I just wish that I could go with you," he said.  
  
"Yeah, but you know full well that if you leave this tower, the deal with Jumari is off," said Haku. He looked over at where Link lay, sympathy showing in his jade colored eyes. "Listen, we'll find her and bring her back safely. You just wait for the other mages to arrive so that they can heal you."  
  
Nami appeared thoughtful for a moment, then spoke up. "Say, Link, just how good a judge of character are you?"  
  
"Well, I've always liked to think that I have some expertise in that particular area," Link said, trying to seem as though he was not boasting.  
  
"See, here's the deal. The Council of Mages usually brings in at least one human for consultation before they choose the new archmage. They say it's because they want the opinion of someone whose entire world could be affected by the decision that the new archmage makes. Anyways, the reason that I'm asking is because Jumari or someone might be able to persuade the council to let you be the human involved in the process."  
  
"Why should they?" Link asked. "It's not as though I'm ever going to be able to leave this tower, so nothing they decide can possible impact my life. After all, Jumari pretty much lives completely outside of their wishes and desires, right?"  
  
Haku began to pace up and down, a frown furrowing his brow. He had known that it would be hard to convince Link to stay, and in doing so not totally crush his spirits, but this was getting ridiculous. It really seemed as though Link WANTED to be depressed, and certainly didn't want to have any hope. What they needed was a card the Link couldn't possibly be expecting.  
  
"Listen, Link. You've done more than enough to help Chihiro and me already. She would never dream of asking you to do more. Now it's time for you to continue what you started while we go off and find her. You'll have more than enough to deal with, what with the tortures and the choosing of the new archmage and all."  
  
"Fine." Link turned his back to them and lay facing the wall. "Just make sure that you get her back before that witch can do anything terrible to her."  
  
"Don't worry Link. She'll be fine, and we'll have her back before you know it."  
  
Link stared over hard at the wall next to the bed. "Yeah, right. Famous last words."  
  
*~*  
  
Haku lay in his room, his eyes closed and his chest rising and falling rhythmically. As he slept, strange visions flashed through his mind, each one more unusual than the last, all, however, with a common theme. Chihiro. In the first such vision, he was back at that unforgettable day when Chihiro had first fallen into his river and he had saved her. This time, however, she quickly vanished when she hit the bank, and a laugh that sounded all too familiar could be heard. From there, he found himself traveling through his more recent encounters with her, and finally, he found himself walking through a magnificent garden filled with beautiful flowers and the sound of birds in the trees. Ahead of him, sitting on a bench was a figure all dressed in white. The person was facing away from him, but when he approached it turned and smiled. The person was a girl, no older than sixteen, with long white hair and clear, ice blue eyes. The smile on her face was enough to warm up Haku's blood.  
  
"Well, it certainly took you long enough to find me," she said, the smile growing still broader.  
  
"How did you know that I'd be coming here?" Haku asked curiously. "This is just a dream, so the odds are that you can't be real."  
  
"Can't I?" Anyways, that doesn't matter. I am real, whether you choose to believe it or not. Now, I believe that I'm correct in assuming that you're about to embark on a quest?" Haku nodded an affirmative, and the girl let out a short laugh that reminded him very much of pealing wedding bells. "Good. Now, I'm going to give you a few instructions. Listen carefully, and do not forget any of what I'm about to tell you." She began to speak, and Haku hung onto her every word, being careful not to miss anything. Though he couldn't have said why, something about the girl in front of him made him want to trust her. So he listened. Listened as though the world around him would come to an end if he did not. Indeed, for him, that very well might have been true. Soon, she was finished.  
  
"Remember," she said, her piercing blue eyes seeming to look right through him, "do not forget anything I have said. Do all that I say, and you will get your love back." Slowly, she began to fade away, along with the rest of the garden. "Remember, lest in your forgetfulness you doom yourself." With those last words she vanished, leaving him alone with his thoughts and memories. 


	4. Departure

Well, here's the next chapter.  
  
Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters from Spirited Away. The character Toruma, who is introduced in this chapter, belongs to one of my friends. All other characters, as of now, are copywrite me, but you can use any of them, as long as you ask.  
  


* * *

  
Haku awoke the next morning and rolled over, groaning as the light streaming through the window hit him full in the face. It was a beautiful morning, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky for as far as the eye could see. For a moment, he lay there, oblivious to his surroundings, then, all in an instant, the memories of the day before came racing back violently into his mind. He hurled himself up out of the bed, threw on his clothes, and dashed out the door, taking time only to grab one of the maps that he had been pouring over only the night before.  
  
Once outside of his room, he hastened to Nami's, finding him already awake and waiting for him.  
  
"What on earth kept you?" Nami asked, looking at Haku with disdain. "I've been waiting for you for the past half hour!"  
  
Haku glared at him, then suddenly started with realization. "You mean to tell me that you were up? Why didn't you come and get me?" he asked, fury springing up into his eyes.  
  
"I didn't know that you wanted me to. I mean, YOU were the one that was getting married to her and all, so I guess I just kind of figured that at the very least YOU would be someone who would want to get her back. Guess I was wrong. Never mind, lets just not waste any more time around here."  
  
Haku nodded, and they both made their way down to the entrance hall where they found that Yubaba, Zenniba, Jumari, Rin, Kamijji and Chihiro's parents already waiting for them. Beside the well-wishers were two large packs obviously heavy-laden with items and resources that they would need during their journey.  
  
"Yubaba will journey with you as far as Aburaya. We've talked it over, and she's agreed that if by the time you get there it's already getting dark, she will allow you both to spend the night there." Haku and Nami nodded, both shouldering their packs. Chihiro's mother stepped forward and took a pendant off her neck, placing it on Haku's.  
  
"This was given to me by my grandmother, and her grandmother before her, and has been passed down for many generations. I was going to give it to Chihiro as a wedding gift, but I want you to carry it until you can find her." She stepped back, her eyes glistening. "Thank you so much for doing this." Haku nodded, finding himself unable to speak for fear that the already present lump in his throat would grow bigger than it already was. He turned around, and suddenly, in the same place that he had been standing only a moment before was a huge silver dragon. He turned and Nami, who also transformed, jumped up onto his back. They both took one last look at the tower, and then turned and burst out of the door with a rush of wind, Yubaba following in their wake.  
  
"Go, both of you, and do your best to bring back the one whose presence has so effectively brought us together. Do not stop or turn back until you have either accomplished your goal or are dead. Go now, and whatever blessings I can bestow upon you be with you, and may you find protection, even if you should find yourselves at the very end of the world." Jumari turned and walked away back up to her rooms, where she sat and brooded.  
  
"Do you really think they have a chance of succeeding?" asked Chihiro's father.  
  
Zenniba looked at him with concern in her eyes.  
  
"I just don't know."  
  


* * *

  
A/N- All right, here's the deal. In this particular fic, I'm going to say that while he's in his dragon form, Haku is still able to communicate in some way with the spirits around him. I'm never going to specifically say in this fic whether that communication is verbal or mental, but to indicate that it is Haku speaking, I will have a sentence surrounded by single quotation mark.  
  
Ex: 'Don't you see?'  
  
Anyways, that's how it's going to go. Here's to hoping that this will not confuse you too much.  
  


* * *

  
Flying high up in the sky, Haku and Yubaba made a direct course back towards the railroad, flying swiftly in between the mountains and over the dense forest. Although it was not cloudy, there was a strong and steady wind, and it made it rather difficult for them to fly straight. The group remained in silence, each one deep in their own thoughts that confronted their worst fears. What if Chihiro was already dead? What if they were unable to complete the quest? What would Keetra do to Chihiro if they failed? These thoughts and many others raced through their minds as they flew over the sparkling countryside.  
  
After over and hour of flight, they found themselves flying over the tracks of the train far behind them. Racing as fast as though the hounds of hell were at their feet, they made their way down toward Aburaya, the place where the adventures had all begun.  
  
"We should get to the bathhouse before sundown," Yubaba said as she struggled to keep up with the dragon and fox ahead of her.  
  
'I want to make it to the first of the caverns before nightfall,' Haku replied, not changing the pace even for a second. The group once again fell into an eerie silence.  
  
As they flew, Nami began to feel the beginnings of hunger gnawing away at his stomach. Realizing that he hadn't eaten in the past two days, he crawled up to Haku's head.  
  
"Listen, do you think we could stop at the next town and get something to eat?" Haku gave no signs of hearing him, and Nami crawled back down and curled up, trying to ignore the ever-increasing pain in his stomach.  
  


* * *

  
Far off, in a land that could only be reached through trial and tribulation, a dark man called before him his advisors and lackeys.  
  
"Master, it was an absolute stroke of genius, telling Keetra where Haku was. There's no chance that they'll succeed in the quest, and will almost certainly die in the attempt. The plan cannot fail."  
  
"You are a fool, Charon, if you think that the dragon will be so easily gotten rid of." A figure stood up from the chair he had been sitting in, directing his harsh words at the wizened old man next to him. "No, we must not put our hope in the odd chance that he might die on the way." The figure's voice was smooth, and almost silky, while the first voice that had spoken had a far more wheedling and nasally tone to it. In one, dark, shadowy corner of the room, two glowing eyes watched every movement that the two servants were making.  
  
"Master, surely you will not allow this scum of the gutter to address me in this manner." Charon had turned and seemed to be appealing to the eyes that were regarding him with intent. "After all, I am from a powerful family, and he is nothing more than an urchin that you picked up off of the streets."  
  
"Listen, you no good piece of sniveling, simpering filth. I have far more worth to our master than an animal like you."  
  
"Never mind." The eyes blinked once, then the figure stepped out of the shadows. He was tall, and darkly handsome. His long black hair was pulled back into a braid that reached his waist, and his midnight blue robes hung off his wiry frame in folds. He was easily a head taller than any of the others in the room, and all around him was a stifling, dominating presence. "The fact remains that Haku is his father's son, and he is more than capable of completing this quest unharmed." He held up a hand, stifling the sounds of protest coming from the others in the crowded chamber. "Therefore, it is necessary for us to take certain steps to insure that he does, in fact, either die or end up under my control. We will send some of our warriors, under the command of Toruma to follow them, ambushing them at every opportunity. If we lay enough traps, they are sure to eventually fall into one of them. Now go, and see to it that everything is taken care of." The dark man returned to his chair in the corner, and his servants, after bowing low, exited the room and left him to his thoughts.  
  
{Soon, Haku, you will be dead and my victory will be complete.}  
  


* * *

  
The sun was just touching the horizon when Aburaya came into the traveler's sights. By the time they got there, it was almost certain to have disappeared. Haku was forced to admit that there was no longer any chance of them making it to the first of the caverns that he intended to check before darkness had once again claimed the land around them. By now, they were flying over the lake that surrounded the bathhouse.  
  
"Like I said, if you both want to, you are more than welcome to spend the night at the bathhouse," Yubaba said. Haku, although his heart was against it, was forced to admit that they really had no other choice. Yubaba led the way to her rooms, and they landed inside and transformed back into their human forms.  
  
"Haku, you and Nami can spend the night in your old rooms. You can set out first thing in the morning." Haku nodded and picked up Nami in his arms, heading out to find some food. 


	5. Attack

All right. Thank you so much for bearing with me as it's taken me a while to get this chapter out. I would like to thank the following for reviewing, despite the pitiful amount of time it took for me to get this chapter out to you.  
  
Aeriolus, Sachairi, Mia1218, and fanficmaniac. Thank you all so much.  
  
Now, since it's taken me so long to get to five reviews, which, by the way, is really pitiful, considering that there are five chapters, I've decided that I'm not updating again until I've gotten ten reviews. In other words, if you don't tell other people about this story, and if you've been reading it and just not reviewing, then too bad. If I don't get to ten, no more updates. That's all there is to it. If you think I'm joking, just try me. Come on, you know you want to. Maybe you think, boy, he's in a bad mood. You're right. I am. No one has been reviewing except for the above people. Nothing against them personally, but if you like this fic so much, why don't you spread the word? Tell other people. If you don't, then you've no one but yourselves to blame.  
  
Except for Sachairi, who has already done her part. Thanks!  
  
So anyways, if you keep an eye on my bio page, you'll find that I update it often with news on my stories and characters.  
  
Please, read this and review. I don't beg. I never have, and this is the closest that I'm going to come to actually doing it. (and by the way, if you're reviewing, why haven't I gotten any constructive criticism yet? I could really use it. And don't give me that crap about how my story is perfect. It isn't. I'm always going back and finding more things wrong with it. HELP ME!)  
  
Without any further ado (or ranting)  
  
*~*  
  
The Quest: Chapter Three- Attack  
  
*~*  
  
*bangs head on table due to lack of reviews*  
  
*~*  
  
Sunlight glistened off the flat, calm, tranquil surface of the immense lake surrounding the bathhouse. As it rose, it revealed a large silver dragon preening itself on the roof, watching as it rose high into the light blue and gold sky. Birds could be heard singing in the trees, and the sounds and smells of the bathhouse preparing for the night ahead filled the air. It was a beautiful morning, indeed, but only one thought was running through the dragons mind.  
  
{One day}  
  
It had been one day, though not exactly, since his bride to be had been kidnapped from the ceremony. It had been one day since he was supposed to have married her. And it had been one day that Keetra had had to harm her in any of a million different ways.  
  
The dragon rose, stretching out its front legs, then pushed off from the roof and re-entered the bathhouse.  
  
The upper levels of Aburaya were quiet, and the dragon glided its way through them, not looking either way, but with a sureness that indicated that it knew where it was going. It did not stop until it had arrived at a gilded door a few levels beneath Yubaba's office, where it paused and then shifted into the form of a young man. He again paused, then threw open the door and entered, looking around him. At first glance the room appeared to be empty, but further inspection revealed a small fox lying curled up on the bed in a patch of sunlight. Haku grinned, then walked over and gave it a good hard poke in the side.  
  
The fox bolted. It went from lying down asleep to shivering on top of one of the couches in an instant. A brief flash of light, and it was replaced by the form of another, seriously ticked off boy.  
  
"What the heck was that for?" he demanded, glaring daggers at Haku. "What did I ever do to you to deserve that?"  
  
"You slept in, that's what." Haku replied, grinning from ear to ear. "Come on, let's go get some breakfast, and then we can ditch this place." Nami nodded, only too happy to be off once again. . . in search of food. The meal he had had the night before had barely been enough to tide him over, and he had spent the majority of the night dreaming about the various dishes he wanted to sample. The two adventurers made their way through the bustling hallways, on their way to the kitchens. Before they got there, however, they ran into a familiar figure.  
  
"Haku! Is that you?" The two spirits turned to see Rin hurrying towards them, the washcloths in her hands forgotten. They paused and waited for her to catch up. "Where are you two headed?" she asked.  
  
"We were just on our way down to the kitchens," Haku replied. Rin smiled and fell into step with them.  
  
"I'll come with you. I just got off on my break, so I've got time." They made there way to the kitchens, where Rin saw to it that they got some of the best food that was available. There were eggs cooked to a perfect golden color, the same shade as the sunrise. There was French toast, piled up into mounds oozing with golden maple syrup. There was fruit by the dozens, huge, juicy grapefruit, magnificently sumptuous oranges, and juicy, mouth watering pears. There were meat pies and platters of vegetables the likes of which the human world had never seen.  
  
Haku and Nami ate until they found that they could eat no more. Once they had reached that hard to achieve point, they pushed back in their chairs.  
  
Haku was already able to tell the significance that the meal was going to have. He groaned. There was no way that they would be able to make as good time as they had before, even with the super-fast metabolism that every spirit was gifted with. Nami nodded, able to tell what Haku was thinking by reading it in his eyes.  
  
"We'll just have to do the best that we can," he said. Haku nodded, and the two young spirits staggered to their feet and lurched out the door. By the time they had returned to their room, they were both feeling slightly better. Haku reached into his pack and pulled out one of the maps he had brought with him, unrolling it out on the table.  
  
"All right. Due south between here and the first set of caverns is a lake."  
  
"How big is it?" Nami asked, looking down intently at the map.  
  
"Big enough that if we go around, it's going to cost us a lot of time. Unfortunately, we can't just fly straight over it because of the unusual storms and winds that constantly hang over it all year long. It's too dangerous."  
  
"All right, so we find some way to get across. Got any ideas?"  
  
"Actually, yes. According to the key here there should be a ferry that ought to bring us over. We can probably take that." Haku sat back and put his feet up on the table.  
  
"Well, do you have any idea how much it's going to cost?"  
  
"No, but I should have enough. If not, then we can probably barter our way onto it with the stuff the others packed for us. And, of course, if that fails, we can always just sneak on without anyone seeing us." The two of them stood up as they heard a knock on the door. Nami looked over questioningly at Haku, who nodded, so he went and opened it. Rin smiled brightly and stepped inside.  
  
"Yubaba says that you should probably hit the road. She said to warn you that there's a storm on the way, and you'll have to hurry if you want to stay ahead of it."  
  
*~*  
  
Toruma looked up yet again at the foreboding sky. In the past hour it had gone from being a beautiful, sunny day to dark with menacing clouds gathering above. Every so often, a flash of lightning could be seen off in the distance, followed by the ominous rumble of the thunder.  
  
He cursed vehemently. It was just his luck. Not only had Charon only given him just a few extra men for the mission, but now it seemed that they would have to carry out the attack in the middle of a thunderstorm. All around him, his men were at work, sharpening their weapons and readying their armor. To the unfamiliar eye, they were just a ragged bunch, many of them grizzled and hardened by years of servitude.  
  
However, if you looked a little closer you would see that they moved with a sort of self-assured air that showed that they knew perfectly well what they were doing. They were the best at what they did, and they knew it.  
  
"Sir?" One of the soldiers had ventured over to his vantage spot and looked uncertain as to whether he was doing the right thing in approaching him.  
  
"What is it?" Toruma barked harshly. He recognized the spirit as one of the newcomers to the group. Most of them were undisciplined, and hardly any had seen combat experience. These were the warriors that had been assigned to him by Charon.  
  
"Well, sir, it's just that there's a storm coming, and we haven't made any move to set up camp." He chuckled a bit. "One would almost think that you were seriously considering attacking in this weather!"  
  
Toruma glared at him.  
  
{Idiot}  
  
"Is there something wrong with attacking now?" he asked, his voice as smooth as though it were coated with honey.  
  
"Well sir, attacking in the middle of a storm isn't really the honorable thing to do."  
  
"I had no idea you were supposed to be honorable when carrying out an ambush."  
  
The soldiers eyes widened with realization, and he hastily apologized and beat a quick retreat.  
  
"Idiot," Toruma muttered, watching him leave. Well, there was always one in every group.  
  
*~*  
  
With a sudden and violent crash, a flash of lightning ripped through the sky, followed almost immediately by a sudden, torrential downpour. The silver dragon just lowered its head and pushed on, buffeted on all sides by powerful gusts of wind. With a sigh of resignation, it realized that flying wasn't going to get them anywhere now. It landed and transformed. The fox that had been on its back soon followed.  
  
"Blast!" Haku growled as he stared up at the sky, as if by glaring at it he could somehow stop it from raining. "I was hoping we'd be able to get to the ferry before the storm hit." He cursed.  
  
"Oh, calm down, will you?" Nami wasn't glaring at the sky, he was glaring at Haku. "So far, all you've done is gripe and complain. If you don't learn to have a more positive outlook on things, we're never going to get Chihiro back."  
  
Haku glared at him. "Don't you EVER say that. I WILL get Chihiro back. I don't care what I've got to do to get it done, but it WILL happen, and then I'm going to make that bitch pay dearly for what she's done to me." Nami nodded, sweeping his long, wet black hair out of his eyes.  
  
"How much further do you think we've got to go?" he asked. Haku, however, never had the chance to answer.  
  
*~*  
  
Toruma had kept a careful watch over the path he knew the targets would be taking. Before the storm had hit, he had been worried about Haku's ability to fly, but now it seemed that that wasn't going to be a factor, since the wind and rain had picked up. It would be suicide to try and fly in the weather.  
  
No, he would be traveling along this, the ONLY path through the forest where they lay in wait.  
  
All he needed to do was keep watch.  
  
*~*  
  
Flashback  
  
*~*  
  
Haku glared at Nami and told him to move along. He was not only tired of walking, but he was wet and generally irritable. He quickened his pace.  
  
*~*  
  
End Flashback  
  
*~*  
  
Toruma could hear voices. He tightened his grip on his sword and raised his hand into the air. The warriors around him tensed.  
  
*~*  
  
Flashback  
  
*~*  
  
Nami grumbled to himself. He was just as tired of the walking as Haku was, but that didn't give the dragon the right to yell at him. Muttering about upstart, lovestruck spirits, he too quickened his pace.  
  
*~*  
  
End flashback  
  
*~*  
  
As the two figures came into view, Toruma dropped his hand.  
  
"ATTACK!"  
  
*~*  
  
Haku dropped instantly into a defensive stance as he found himself and Nami surrounded by a band of very angry looking warriors. There was no way that this could be good.  
  
He sidestepped the first soldier who came at him, swinging his dervish expertly. One well placed blow to the base of the neck and the spirit went down like a ton of bricks. In an instant, he found himself fighting for his life.  
  
It took Nami a moment to realize that the majority of the attackers were totally ignoring him, focusing all of their attention on Haku. For a second he paused, then, throwing all caution to the wind, he waded into the melee.  
  
Haku was getting tired. The relentless attacks being thrown at him were steadily wearing down his resistance and he was having trouble keeping his footing on the wet, muddy ground.  
  
He never felt the spear enter his back. One moment he had been dodging a strike, and the next he felt a slight push from behind. Then everything jumbled together in a confused mess of noises and he blacked out, falling limply to the ground.  
  
*~*  
  
Nami reached Haku just in time to see him stumble, catch himself, and then fall to the ground, his shirt becoming stained with his blood. He screamed with rage and launched himself into a furious assault, attacking anything and everything that came in reach. Tears stung his eyes as he dropped to the forest floor next to the limp body. Their mission accomplished, the enemy faded into the trees as quickly as they had appeared, leaving the spirit to grieve for his friend.  
  
*~*  
  
AN:  
  
Please don't kill me. . . (hides from angry reviewers)  
  
It'll all work out, TRUST ME!  
  
Anyways, thanks again to all of you who did take the time to review. 


	6. Kanrika

You know, I've got to have the best reviewers in the world. Seriously. Just yesterday I had five reviews, and wasn't, of course, going to update until I had ten, and then boom, in less than twenty four hours I've got twelve reviews. I mean, WOW! That is totally awesome! I LOVE ALL YOU GUYS!  
  
Now, hang on a minute while I go get the sake.  
  
All right, I'd like to make an announcement. *Ahem*  
  
Everyone, I'd like to announce. . . THE RETURN OF KEETRA! YAY! And not just the Keetra in the story, but Keetra the fanfic authoress! That's right people, SHE'S BACK! So here's to ONE of my favorite reviewers. Cheers!  
  
*drains bottle*  
  
Now (hic) on with the (hic) rest of this chapter! (hic) *passes out*  
  
*~*  
  
How can you see into my eyes like open doors  
  
*~*  
  
Nami ignored his own wounds as he dropped to his knees at Haku's side. He desperately attempted to stem the flow of blood from the wound with his hands. Once he had, he proceeded to tear his shirt into long strips, which he used to bandage the wound. With that accomplished, he carefully moved Haku beneath a copse of pine trees, which provided them some shelter from the rain.  
  
*~*  
  
Leading you down into my core, where I've become so numb  
  
*~*  
  
It didn't stop raining until late that night. The first few minutes, Nami didn't even notice, but the absence of the steady and relentless patter soon struck him. He carefully got to his feet and looked over at Haku. After several tense hours, his condition seemed to have stabilized, and he was breathing deeply and evenly. He had not, however, woken up. Nami moved out from underneath the trees and sat down in the middle of the clearing, looking up at the sky. The clouds had cleared to reveal a myriad of stars, each shining with its own special purpose. Nami had always liked to think that his family, wherever they were, were looking up at those same stars. It made him feel close to them, almost as if they were sitting there beside him. Vaguely, he wondered if Chihiro was looking at the stars too.  
  
*~*  
  
Long ago, the land of Kanrika had been a place of unmatched beauty. The rolling hills, graces with tall, stately trees, the sparkling, pristine rivers, and the peaceful, quiet villages all lent a sense of peace and serenity to the land. It was a place the people associated with laughter, festivals, and holidays. People there were happy, and hopeful that each day would be better than the last.  
  
Now, however, everything had changed. No longer was laughter heard around every corner. One was far more likely to encounter despair than hope. The people lived brutal, pointless lives. They were a people who had lost their soul.  
  
*~*  
  
Without a soul  
  
My spirit sleeping somewhere cold  
  
Until you find it there and lead it back home  
  
*~*  
  
It was not a change that had happened over night. No, although its origins could be found in a single night, it had taken much longer for hope to vanish. When the royal family had been slaughtered by the outsider, the people had been enraged. They had demanded that the princess- turned- queen should find the outsider and take revenge. The same people who had for so long been fierce advocates of peace now girded themselves up for war.  
  
*~*  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
Call my name and save me from the dark  
  
Bid my blood to run  
  
Before I come undone  
  
Save me from the nothing I've become  
  
*~*  
  
Keetra knew that he people could not win. They had absolutely no experience whatever in war, and going into battle against an already proven sorcerer would be suicide indeed.  
  
Then he came.  
  
*~*  
  
Now that I know what I'm without  
  
You can't just leave me  
  
Breathe into me and make me real  
  
Bring me to life  
  
*~*  
  
He had arrived in her palace late one night as she had lain awake. He had come with promises of an alliance that would benefit the both of them. He would tell her the name of the outside, and in exchange she would give his people a place in her kingdom, and would make him her chief, and only, advisor. She had agreed.  
  
*~*  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
Call my name and save me from the dark  
  
Bid my blood to run  
  
Before I come undone  
  
Save me from the nothing I've become  
  
Bring me to life  
  
*~*  
  
As time passed, with Keetra busy searching for the outsider, the man had slowly pulled the throne out from underneath her. He put his own people into places of power, and removed or executed those who were still loyal to her. They were cruel, unjust and harsh, demanding the worst punishments for the smallest infractions. In her desperate quest for revenge, she had blinded herself to the suffering of her people, allowing him to gain an even greater foothold in her land. At first he had been weak, but now there was no way she could safely and effectively get rid of him. So she ignored him, allowing him to make her a puppet ruler with no power over the people who had trusted her with their lives.  
  
And still she searched.  
  
*~*  
  
Chihiro opened her eyes, panicking for a moment before realizing that, in fact, she wasn't blind, but that it was simply night. She sighed before snuggling beneath the warm covers of the bed, than sat bolt upright.  
  
{Where am I?} She panicked, jumping out of the bed and running to the window before realizing that all she had on was a nightshirt, and one several sizes to small for her, at that. She hastily got dressed in the clothes that were lying out, realizing with wonder that they were made out of what appeared to be the finest silk. Once dressed, she stepped out onto the balcony.  
  
The streets far below were empty, and a strange stillness hung like a heavy blanket over the city. She could see that at one time, it must have been very beautiful, but those days had long since disappeared beneath the thick layers of grime and dirt. Simply looking at it made her feel sad and depressed.  
  
{What could have happened to make this place this way?} she wondered. She heard the door to her room unlock and open, but she did not turn around.  
  
"What happened here?" she asked, surprising herself with her own daring.  
  
"It hasn't always been this way." The voice behind her was sweet but tired. There was such sorrow in it that Chihiro suddenly had an overwhelming urge to see the source. She turned around and found herself face to face with a young girl, no more than ten, with eyes that betrayed a weariness that could only come with the agony of endless time. She was thin, and wore a simply, green outfit that matched her eyes. Her skin was almost impossibly pale, and it soon became clear that she could not look Chihiro in the eyes.  
  
"My mistress sent me to take care of you. It will be my job to see to it that you have everything you require to make you comfortable. If you need anything, all you have to do is call." She removed a ring from her finger and handed it to Chihiro, making sure not to touch her. "This will allow you to call me no matter where I am or what I'm doing." Chihiro nodded, then noticed that there was food set out on the table.  
  
"Have you eaten yet?" she asked, startled when she heard the girl start and begin to stammer, looking down once more at the floor. Softly, Chihiro repeated herself.  
  
"Milady, that food is not for someone of my low position. It would be most improper for me to eat with you. People have been sent to the salt mines for crimes far less than that." Her tone of voice betrayed how truly embarrassed she was.  
  
"Nonsense. I won't sit here and eat while you go hungry. Go get a chair." The girl, for Chihiro did not yet know her name, stammered a protest, but one glance from her proved that it was futile. She went and got a chair and pulled it to the table, never once looking up.  
  
"Now, eat."  
  
*~*  
  
The young girl that had been sent to serve Chihiro was in no way an enigma. She was not an anomaly, in fact, she was the norm. The people of Kanrika had for so long been forced to bend the knee to him that they had lost their sense of identity. They went through each day as though in a nightmare.  
  
*~*  
  
Frozen inside without your touch, without your love, darling  
  
Only you are the life among the dead  
  
*~*  
  
They were a people who had been beaten, raped, and tortured into submission. They had long ago been deprived of their voice, and now lived each day in silence. No happiness, no joy, just pain.  
  
*~*  
  
All this time I can't believe I couldn't see  
  
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me  
  
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems  
  
Got to open my eyes to everything  
  
Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul  
  
Don't let me die here  
  
There must be something more  
  
Bring me to life  
  
*~*  
  
The overlords and warlords ransacked and pillaged their own villages, kidnapping and killing. They imposed harsh taxes and demanded servitude in repayment of debts. Pity the poor debtor, for they were horrific taskmasters, demanding the impossible and punishing severely those who failed to deliver. They were a cancer on the land, growing more malignant with each passing day. They humiliated, beat, and degraded the life out of anyone who had the misfortune to cross their path. This was the so-called Liberated Kanrika.  
  
The Kanrika were dreams had long ago turned to nightmares.  
  
*~*  
  
Well, that's it for this chapter. Oh, and by the way, since TME is officially passed out, I guess it's my turn to work on this fic. My name is Deuce, and I've been proofreading this story for all of you out there. So anyways, until TME is back, it's up to me to keep this going. He is going to do the writing; I'm just going to do the intro. Now, here are some of the review replies, and the VOTING! Oh yeah, I really can't forget the CONTEST!  
  
*~*  
  
Basically, what we want to know are your all-time favorite creations of TME's. Your choices are: Jumari, Link, Knoma, Sky, Aki, Nami, Grace, Keetra, the other Grace in my other story, Rama, and I think that that's about it. Unless of course I'm missing someone.  
  
*~*  
  
Now, the contest is pretty straightforward. All you guys out there have to do is tell me what the name of the new book out in Great Britain is right now, the new Magical book thingy, the one that they're saying is the next big thing in that genre since Harry Potter, and you win.  
  
Personally, I'm not really expecting any of you to win this one, but in case you do, you get to decide what role a specific character will be playing in the rest of this story. That Character will be revealed at a later date.  
  
By the way, the next update will come when I get to, say, twenty reviews.  
  
So anyways, that's it for this chapter; tune in next time to find out what happens to Toruma when he reports failure to his master, and what happens to Haku and Nami when they try to board the ferry. And, of course, we can't forget Chihiro, stuck all alone in the middle of a literal hell hole of a country, in danger every minute that she stays there. And what IS this mysterious third party's fascination with ridding themselves of Haku. Surely he can't be THAT important, can he?  
  
Just make sure that you all keep on reading.  
  
Deuce 


	7. Ferry Unfinished

I'm really sorry. I've just had one of the worst cases of writers block, and it's basically invaded every part of my writing life. Luckily, I already had the first part to the next chapter done, but since I can't see myself finishing it right now, due, of course, to the writers block, I decided that it would be better for me to post it the way it is now, instead of going for a couple months without updating. As it stands, this will have to serve until the ability to write returns to me. So anyways, if you have any brilliant, inspirational ideas for the story, PLEASE tell them to me. Who knows, maybe that's all it will take. I'll keep trying, but if my writing continues to come out as crappy as it has been, I'm certainly not going to post it. You reviewers, after all, deserve nothing but the best.  
  
So anyways, here's the first part of the chapter.  
  
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER NOT FINISHED!  
  
The Ferry  
  
Haku groaned and attempted to sit up, only to meet a hand pushing him back down. He opened his eyes and found himself beneath a copse of what appeared to be pine trees, although, here in the Spirit World, it was impossible to be sure. Nami was sitting next to him, boiling something over a bed of hot coals.  
  
"I see you've decided to return to the land of the living," Nami said, pulling a strip of cloth out of the small pot and carefully moving Haku so that he could bind it around the wound. Haku winced, the pain from the cloth touching the wound almost unbearable.  
  
"How. . . how long have I been lying here?" he asked, noticing for the first time that it had stopped raining. It was still rather dark out.  
  
"About a day," Nami replied, tying the bandage tightly. "Done. You think you're feeling well enough to keep on moving?" Haku nodded, more than eager to be off again, even though he knew that it would probably be best if they rested for a few more days. Nami carefully studied his face, and Haku shifted nervously. Then Nami nodded.  
  
"All right. We can get started, but I want to make you to make sure that you take it easy. That's no small wound that you've got, and trust me; you DON'T want it to re-open.  
  
About an hour later, they found themselves on the bank of a seemingly endless expanse of black water. High overhead, storm clouds constantly circled, always threatening to break into a torrential downpour, but never seeming to manage it. Lightning flashes reflected off the mirror-like surface of the lake, perfectly smooth and flat. A cool wind stirred the trees behind them and ran through their hair. It felt rather pleasant after the muggy, humid conditions that they had had to endure during their stint in the forest.  
  
About 200 meters down the beach, they could see an old, rickety dock with a large boat tied to it. The boat had a flat deck, and what appeared to be a small, one story house on it. From one of the house's windows came a soft, flickering light indicating the presence of someone within.  
  
"Well, it's now or never," Nami said. "We might as well see who's home." Haku nodded, and slowly they made their way forward.  
  
Toruma dropped to his knee in front of the shadowy throne. He kept his eyes cast on the ground, not looking up for fear that he would anger his master more than he already had.  
  
"You have failed me." The cold voice of his master echoed through the stone chamber, sending shivers down Toruma's spine. He grimaced.  
  
"Master, when we left the two spirits, the dragon wasn't moving. My soldier has already told me that he is certain that the spear pieced the heart."  
  
"Yes. I have already talked to that soldier." A shadowy hand indicated the decapitated and disemboweled corpse lying off to the side in a pool of blood. Toruma looked away, sickened by the sight, but somehow managing to keep his expression neutral.  
  
"Master, I did everything I could with the number of troops that were given me." He shuddered, suddenly realizing, too late, that it would seem as though he was making excuses. Belatedly, he cursed himself.  
  
"I have already talked to Charon on this matter. The question is, what do I do with YOU?"  
  
"Master, my life is in you hands."  
  
"Yes, it is, now, isn't it." The voice sounded almost cheerful. "A week in the salt mines ought to do you a world of good. Maybe then I'll no longer be in the mood to wear your head as a necklace."  
  
The doors opened and several guards came in, picked Toruma up, and dragged him out, frozen with terror.  
  
Now, as I said before, this chapter isn't finished, but will be as soon as this cursed writers block goes away.  
  
TME  
  
043004 


	8. Ferry Finished

**Greetings once again from the land of the procrastinators.**** First and foremost, I want to sincerely apologize for the unacceptable amount of time in between updates. This time, however, I have an explanation.**

**As most of you ought to know by now, I recently have suffered from a terrible case of the bane of authors everywhere, the writers block. Much thanks, of course, is due to my reviewers and friends for keeping me aware of the passage of time. While this in itself could have been responsible for the lack of update, several other factors made it inevitable.**

**The first of these factors is my own lazyness. While I wish to attribute it to my schoolwork, as well as the ACT's and SAT's, the truth is I had plenty of opportunities, and never seized them.**

**The second and most important was that before I could type out this chapter, I lost the written copy.**

**So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm very sorry for neglecting you all for so long. Thank you so much for your patience and kind words, and I hope to never again go so long without an update.**

**Time's Mortal Enemy**

Chihiro moaned as a stream of light pierced through the darkness. She sat up, groaning as she lifted her arm to shield her eyes against the blinding rays of sunlight. Suddenly, she froze. In an instant, all of the memories from the past several days came rushing back into her mind. Hastily, she jumped out of bed and raced for the door, only discovering halfway across the room that she was dressed only in a nightgown. She glanced around the room, and, upon spotting an outfit lying across a chair, hurried over and got dressed. Just as she finished, a knock came on the door, and it opened to reveal her young attendant. Over the past several days, Chihiro had grown rather fond of the young girl, and often found herself going out of the way to do small kindnesses to her.

"M'lady, I was wondering if you desired to go for another walk this morning." Grace (Chihiro had learned her name only the other day) asked. Chihiro nodded. Ever since her arrival in Kanrika, it had become clear to her that if she didn't find a way to pass the time, she would go crazy. She had carefully considered her options, which, of course, were rather limited, and decided that the best course of action would be to take up walking. Not only would it allow her to get some excersise, but she would be able to get out of the dreary palace that had become her home, and explore her surroundings, that is, as much of them as her ever-present escort would allow. Although his official job was to keep her safe, she sensed that he was really there to keep her from seeing the less pleasant portions of the city. Today, however, she was determined that that would change.

"Very well. Shall I go get Captain Winters, then?" Again Chihiro nodded, and Grace bowed low before leaving the room. Chihiro walked over to the window and opened it, stepping out onto the balcony. She gazed out as the golden fingers of sunlight pierced the deep azure blue of the morning sky. Her thoughts, however, were elsewhere.

_Haku__.__ . . are you looking up at the same sky as I am? Are you any closer to finding me? Have you given up? Where are you, my love?_

Slowly, a shadow of a cloud drifted through the sky, blotting out the sunlight and causing the land to fall back into a melancholy darkness. A knock came at the door.

"Lady Chihiro?" The voice that came to her ears was a smooth, silky baritone. Chihiro stepped back inside and walked over to the door, opening it to see the youthful features of her specially appointed bodyguard, Captain Gael Winters. (Yeah, hang in there Fireruby) He was a handsome young man with long, silky hair that reached down to his waist. However, the thing that had stood out to Chihiro most when she had met him had been his eyes. The right eye was a magnificent, almost crystal blue, a blue that pierced the soul, while the left was a soft, warm amber color. He was built rather thin, almost lithe, and was extremely fast and graceful. He wore a specially tailored outfit, a black uniform with special golden symbols woven in to indicate his rank. At his side were two daggers, weapons with which he had already often proven himself more than proficient with them. He was truly a soldier who took his job just a little too seriously.

"Come in Captain." Chihiro said, stepping aside to allow him entry. "I wish to go to the market today." She eyed him carefully, expecting a reaction. She was not disappointed. His head snapped up and he looked at her with something akin to fear on his face.

"M'Lady, I have the strictest orders as to where and where not you may go. . ."

Chihiro, however, would not be deterred. "Captain, I wish to go to the market. Whether or not I go alone is up to you." Gael sighed with resignation.

"I can see that you won't change your mind about this. I only ask that you make sure to stay close to me, and do as I tell you, no matter what. The streets are not as safe as they used to be, not since. . ." His voice trailed off into silence, leaving the young woman beside him to wonder what it had been that he was going to say.

Far above them in one of the palace's many lofty towers, a man gazed into the silvery orb before him and cursed.

In yet another tower, Keetra finished off yet another bottle of bad rice wine and poured herself another glass, cursing.

Haku and Nami stepped out onto the rickety and rotting dock to which the boat was tied. Each step they took was carefully calculated for fear of a broken plank underfoot sending them hurtling into the black water.

It happened in an instant. One moment Nami was putting his foot down, and the next he found himself falling through the plank that had broken. Haku turned and looked into his eyes, reaching out his hand toward him, and then Nami was gone without a trace into the Icy depths.

**062304**


	9. Breaking Point

**What is a dragon?**

**Throughout history, the air of myth and legend surrounding these magnificent creatures has shifted and churned, aspects changing, motives questioned, and gradually, dragons became feared.**

**It was not always so, however. From early on, the dragons were known to be wise; the protectors of lore and history. They were respected, revered, and even worshipped in certain cultures.**

**Time, however, erases everything. No image can endure forever, and in time, the image changed to that of viscous brutes, notorious for stealing the treasures and women of mankind. It became quite a sport to hunt them down and kill them.**

**From gentle historians to bloodthirsty savages, the mystery of the dragon has endured, intriguing mankind for centuries.**

**One thing is certain, however. A dragon will guard that which it loves with its last breath. They are the most jealous and possessive creatures in existence.**

**Chapter 7: Breaking Point**

The water was cold. Bitingly, icily, mind-numbingly cold. Nami could feel the heat leaving his body, seeping out into the icy black that surrounded him. Down he went, endlessly drifting deeper into the sea of death. Slowly, he succumbed to the terrible cold, his limbs growing limp.

Suddenly, he felt a splash nearby. Dimly, his mind registered the fact that someone was along side him, holding on and struggling to leave the water. As his head broke the surface, he gulped in the chilly night air, noting that the once pleasant breeze was now sharp and cold. He looked up to see Haku on the dock, holding out his hand to help him up. With a start, he realized that it couldn't then have been Haku who had saved him, and he looked around wildly before finding himself staring into the golden, narrow slitted eyes. . . of a cat.

Albeit, it was a very humanoid cat, possessing the typical two legged, two armed torso. On the other hand, it had the ears and fur of a cat, as well as the eyes and snout. And then there were the claws. He noticed for the first time the wounds where the claws had gripped into his arm as his rescuer had pulled him to the surface.

The cat blinked at him angrily.

"You'd better have a bloody good reason as to why you interrupted my dinner and got me all wet," it said, before turning and stepping back onto the boat. "Well, are you coming or not?" Haku and Nami looked at each other, then followed.

The cat opened the door, and they stepped inside. They found themselves in a cozy little room with a small table at one end set for three. Next to the table was a fireplace with a crackling, welcoming fire roaring away within. The cat handed Nami a robe and motioned toward a door leading out of the room.

"You can change in there. I imagine that you want to get out of those wet clothes as soon as possible." Nami nodded, his teeth chattering, and entered the room, shutting the door behind him.

Haku turned and found that their host had already returned to the table, and was digging into one of the biggest fish that Haku had ever seen.

"Well, are you going to just stand there, or are you hungry?" the cat asked. "You'll notice that I set the table for three, so why don't you sit down and dig in?" Haku blinked, then walked over to the table and sat down.

"I take it you're the ferry… thing?" Haku asked, carefully eying the fish. His host nodded and then looked over at him.

"So, Where is that you and your clumsy friend in there want to go?"

Haku glared at the cat. "Before we do business, I want to know with whom I'm dealing."

"Of course. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Min. And you, of course, are Haku."

Haku paused with a piece of fish halfway to his mouth, his jaw lowered in astonished amazement.

"How do you know me?"

Min gave him a strange look and began to cut into the fish with her claws. "I find it hard to believe that you could have forgotten your first trip across. I take it that your destination is the same?"

"How do you know me?" Haku muttered, his voice growing more and more breathy. Suddenly, he stood up and jumped out of the chair.

"HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ME?" he screamed, holding his head as a series of images flashed through his mind. A storm, a ship, tossing and rolling on rough seas. Himself, throwing a rope to a shadowy figure struggling against the waves. In an instant, it was over and he went limp, falling to his knees, breathing deeply.

"Haku, are you all right?" The voice behind him was concerned, but Haku didn't hear it. Slowly, Nami put a hand on his shoulders, only to have it shoved roughly off.

"Leave me alone. Just. . . leave me alone."

Nami stood for a moment, stunned and hurt, then he and Min left Haku to himself.

Slowly, tears began to roll down his cheeks.

For the most part, the remainder of the trip across the lake was uneventful. Haku kept mostly to himself, avoiding his companions whenever possible. He spent most of the time in the small cabin that he had been given to sleep in, venturing out only for the occasional meal. He was constantly tormented by his lost memories, which seemed to hang just far enough out of his reach as to prevent him from catching them.

Sleeping, unfortunately, was worse than being awake, for when he slept, he dreamt.

_He found himself walking through a long, narrow passageway of stone. The damp walls seemed to tower over him, even as they seemed to close in from all sides. At the end, he could see a sliver of light coming from beneath a door. He approached slowly, apprehensive of what he would find beyond that door. Somehow, his instincts told him that there was no way it could be good. Carefully, hand shaking, he reached for the latch, but the door swung open of its own accord, revealing the macabre contents of the dimly lit room._

_He screamed._

_Inside, several bodies lay flung about the room, their faces twisted into horrific death masks, revealing the fear and agony of their last moments. In his head, their screams erupted, and he could hear the methodical blasts that had made such short work of the family. Their fear and torment raced through him, and his breathing became short, before everything went black, and he fell into blissful silence._

Tonight was no different. After the tense and silent meal, he retired to his chambers, where, exhausted both physically and mentally, he promptly sank into a deep sleep, not even awaking when the cry "land" was heard piercing the night.

**So, all I can say right now is I am very, very sorry for the wait. Fortunately, here's the latest update.**

**And now, I'm going to do something out of character, and answer reviews. I'm hoping this will start to become a common practice.**

**Varda101- Thank you so much for the complement. And yes, here's the update, even if it IS a little bit late!**

**Silver-Sanity- Heh, keep being emotional, people will like it. Thanks for reviewing.**

**Mia- Well, I'm very sorry, but I guess you could consider this a cliffhanger. I guess I just get demented pleasure from watching you people suffer. Hopefully, I've got my motivation back.**

**Sachairi- Thank you so much for your constant support. Now, if you'd just update your story, I might be persuaded to write quicker!**

**Heebiejeebie- Thanks for the complement!**

**Keetra- Yeah, I'll talk to you later. And see! Nami didn't die! That's what you get for not trusting me. Now, I'm hoping you like this chapter better. There's more, shall we say, action, and character development! We find out what Haku's thinking, or rather, dreaming! Yeah, I really love changes to. Absolutely my favorite Spirited Away fic. And yes, you get drunk. You're a very disturbed character. I'm not sure _what_ I'll do with you yet. And don't worry; we'll see a lot more of what Haku's thinking later on. I've got plans, so to speak. Which is why you're last. And thanks so much for looking this over way back when. At least, I think you did. You're my backup beta-reader!**

**Sara, if you're reading this, you need to get back online sometime. We haven't talked in ages, and I'm starting to get worried that one of those hurricanes did hit you. I know you weren't worried, but unless I receive some info that you're okay, I'm going to pray for you, and hope for the best. So contact me!**

**By the way everybody, Sara's my beta reader, so much thanks, even though she hasn't been around to do this one, hence the sloppy job. Oh well, guess you can't have everything.**


	10. Darkness Preview

**The format here is going to be crappy, but hey, it's better than nothing, right? I apologize in advance for the fact that it's not even a real chapter, just a little tidbit of writing. Here's the deal. I've been extremely busy recently, so I'm really sorry for the fact that I haven't updated this thing in like forever. Please, accept my apologies.**

**Now, on to the preview of the next chapter:**

If the waves out on the open lake had been rough, it was nothing compared to the squall they faced upon entering the narrow inlet where they would make land. It seemed as though the wind and waves themselves had been set in opposition to their quest. The craft, relatively small when compared to the sheer enormity of the lake, was tossed and thrown about like a leaf on the autumn wind. The timbers strained and pulled against their pegs, threatening to tear the craft into so many pieces. The only good thing about the storm, Haku reflected, was that he was no longer having troubling dreams. In fact, he was no longer sleeping at all. Instead, he found himself spending all of his so called 'free time' doing his best to help Mia and Nami keep the ship from tearing apart at the seams and sending them all to an icy grave.

The slippery, icy deck made moving around hazardous, however, so with the exception of ship threatening situations, of which there were many, the voyagers spent most of their time below deck patching up leaks and springs in the ship's hull. There was no end to the work that had to be done simply to keep the ship afloat, and the weary, bedraggled would-be seaspirits were much relieved when the wind and the waves slowly died down and the sea became as calm as if there had never been so much as a ripple upon it's glassy surface. For the first time since the travelers had set out over the lake, they were finally able to see their destination. The tremendous steppes of gray rock jutting proudly into the sky like so many monstrous teeth promised to make the going difficult for Nami and Haku, but for the moment, they were content to soon have the chance just to step out onto dry ground once more.

Now that the storms above the lake were behind them, Haku was once more able to take to the sky, and he did so gratefully. The cool breeze whipped through his silvery mane as he twisted and twirled joyfully among the cotton white clouds and golden sunshine. The warmth of the suns rays on his back made him forget about his worries and his problems, if only for a moment, and he reveled in the happiness that flooded through him like a golden shower.

Docking at the jetty took but a moment, and before they knew it, the two travelers found themselves once again standing on the firm, solid ground. Having grown accustomed to the rolling of the ship, they found it difficult at first to stand, and so opted to eat their meal right there on the bank. Mia choose to spend the afternoon fishing for their supper, while Haku and Nami made the most of the day by getting their bearings on the map that they had brought with them. The lake they had just crossed marked the southern boundary of the mapped out land, beneath it, most every map they had found went blank.

**There. Now, I'll update the next chance I get, but absolutely no promises!**


	11. Darkness

If the waves out on the open lake had been rough, it was nothing compared to the squall they faced upon entering the narrow inlet where they would make land. It seemed as though the wind and waves themselves had been set in opposition to their quest. The craft, relatively small when compared to the sheer enormity of the lake, was tossed and thrown about like a leaf on the autumn wind. The timbers strained and pulled against their pegs, threatening to tear the craft into so many pieces. The only good thing about the storm, Haku reflected, was that he was no longer having troubling dreams. In fact, he was no longer sleeping at all. Instead, he found himself spending all of his so called 'free time' doing his best to help Mia and Nami keep the ship from tearing apart at the seams and sending them all to an icy grave.

The slippery, icy deck made moving around hazardous, however, so with the exception of ship threatening situations, of which there were many, the voyagers spent most of their time below deck patching up leaks and springs in the ship's hull. There was no end to the work that had to be done simply to keep the ship afloat, and the weary, bedraggled would-be seaspirits were much relieved when the wind and the waves slowly died down and the sea became as calm as if there had never been so much as a ripple upon it's glassy surface. For the first time since the travelers had set out over the lake, they were finally able to see their destination. The tremendous steppes of gray rock jutting proudly into the sky like so many monstrous teeth promised to make the going difficult for Nami and Haku, but for the moment, they were content to soon have the chance just to step out onto dry ground once more.

Now that the storms above the lake were behind them, Haku was once more able to take to the sky, and he did so gratefully. The cool breeze whipped through his silvery mane as he twisted and twirled joyfully among the cotton white clouds and golden sunshine. The warmth of the suns rays on his back made him forget about his worries and his problems, if only for a moment, and he reveled in the happiness that flooded through him like a golden shower.

Docking at the jetty took but a moment, and before they knew it, the two travelers found themselves once again standing on the firm, solid ground. Having grown accustomed to the rolling of the ship, they found it difficult at first to stand, and so opted to eat their meal right there on the bank. Mia choose to spend the afternoon fishing for their supper, while Haku and Nami made the most of the day by getting their bearings on the map that they had brought with them. The lake they had just crossed marked the southern boundary of the mapped out land, beneath it, most every map they had found went blank.

There was one feature, however, that was prominent on the map. Far south of the lake was a massive, truly enormous river. Even on the small map, it looked more like a very stretched out ocean than a river.

There was plenty of time before they would come to that river, however. In fact, for all they knew, they might never reach it at all. Nami looked at the map, then up at the mountains that lay before them, stretching up high into the clear blue sky. Somewhere at the base of those mountains was the cave they were looking for. He looked back down on the map. Something was wrong. They were sitting on the edge of the lake, a bank that was well defined on the map. Yet even though the mountain range was highly visible from the water, there wasn't even the slightest indication on the map that it even existed at all.

Nami turned and looked questioningly at Haku.

"I know," the dragon said. "I noticed it too."

"But what does it mean?" the fox asked.

"Simple. No one who has laid eyes on these mountains has lived long enough to tell anyone about them."

Nami shivered despite the relative warmth of the noonday sun. "We'll be okay, right?"

Haku shrugged. "I don't know. I was."

Somehow, that fact did little to console Nami.

Haku didn't like it one bit. He was a dragon; he loved the vast open stretches of sky that he could soar through, dancing among the rays of sun as they warmed his back and gave him energy and delight he could get from nothing else.

Going underground went against his very nature.

It just wasn't natural. A dragon shouldn't be made to go into a place where he can't fly, where he can't see the light of the sun.

Nami, of course, didn't seem to care. The fox was cheerfully inspecting the mouth of the cavern, pointing out interesting rock features to the mortified dragon.

It just wasn't natural.

For Chihiro, he told himself. He was doing it for Chihiro.

Somehow, the thought cheered him up just enough to convince him to take the first step into the cavern.

At the first blast of cold wind, that cheerfulness vanished.

Mia didn't mind the cold, harsh darkness of the cave. She had gotten a hold of a few torches, which were now providing the light for the intrepid explorers as they ventured deeper and deeper down into the earth.

She picked her way carefully ahead of the two young spirits behind her. She had been so pleased to see Haku again. He had been her only customer for a very long time the first time around, and since then, business had been just as bad. Plus, the dragon wasn't all that bad company, even if he didn't remember his past. She smiled secretly as she thought back to the first time they had met. He had been so arrogant, so full of himself. The trip across the lake had changed all that. The seemingly all-powerful dragon had been terrified of the waves, knowing that he couldn't escape made it all the worse. By the time they had arrived in the cove, the dragon was very much subdued; his entire attitude had completely changed.

She knew where they were going, having guided Haku there once before. She led the spirits through the dark tunnels and caverns, deeper and deeper into the very heart of the earth.

"Listen to me very carefully." She said softly. "We have to be very quiet from now on. The ceiling of the cavern from this point forward is very fragile, and there's a good chance that if you talk too loudly that it might crash down on us."

Haku and Nami nodded in consent, recognizing the severity of the situation. They proceeded further down the deep passages, slowly but surely down, deeper and deeper.

They entered a tremendous cavern, so large that had it been light, they would have seen they stood on a ledge that barely protruded into the massive, incredibly deep hole. Mia motioned for them to follow her, and then proceeded very carefully along the edge.

And then Haku slipped.

It wasn't much of a slip, but in any dangerous situation, a mistake is compounded a thousand fold. He pitched forward, trying to catch his footing, then went over the edge.

"NOOOOOO!"

Nami screamed in horror, and flung himself towards the place where Haku had fallen, peering over the edge. Haku had managed to grab hold of a rocky outcropping, hanging on for dear life as he watched the rocks that he had knocked loose as they continued to fall seemingly endlessly, into the black darkness.

"HANG ON!" Nami looked around quickly, searching for something he could use to pull Haku up. He wasn't strong enough himself, he was just a fox. In his panic, he didn't notice a small, soft cracking noise.

"Don't just stand there," he shouted to Mia, "Help me!"

Haku reached for Nami's hand, and missed. He was losing his grip. He tried once more.

As his hand grabbed Nami's, all hell broke loose.

With a resounding crack, the portion of the cave's wall and roof above them gave a mighty tremor, buckled, held, and then came loose. Rocks crashed down onto the ledge, and with a mighty heave, Nami pulled Haku up onto the ledge next to him and shielded the mortified dragon with his small form. The rocks struck the ledge with unimaginable force, shattering and sending shards in every direction. Nami winced as he felt the flesh on his back being torn away by the pieces of rock, but didn't move.

And then it was over. All that remained of the ordeal were the many new rock piles surrounding them, and a fine cloud of dust that hung heavy in the stagnant air. Haku worked himself out from under Nami, wincing as he saw the poor fox's injuries. He looked around.

"Mia?" he said softly, not wanting to cause another rock fall. "Where are you?"

He looked around him, his gaze falling onto something that made his heart go cold.

Protruding from beneath one of the larger piles of rock was a battered, crushed paw.

Mia was dead.

**Well hello there everyone, long time no see, huh? It's been officially a year to the day since I last updated this story, and here's the next chapter, well overdue. I know that it doesn't do much to advance the plot, unless you consider killing off a significant character to be advancing the plot. I apologize for my long absence from this story, and hope that you can forgive me.**

**Keep up the reviews!**

**Review Responses:**

**Sachairi- It's been, how long since I last updated? I hope to read your fic sometime, although I have been very busy. Glad to be back, though.**

**Mia- Lol, no, I didn't just change the name on purpose. I made a spelling error, and just was too lazy to go back and fix it.**

**Everyone else that has read my story and not reviewed, shame on you. REVIEW!**


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